1998 explorer XLT air conditioning problem (electrical?) help please!

[cm8809]

Hey whats up everyone, my stepdad has a 1998 ex XLT that's having AC problems and I told him I'd take a swing at it. I'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. I have the haynes manual, FWIW.

So the system is charged and the air is cold and everything. However, it only works when the blower is set to max. When it's on 1 and 2, pretty much nothing is happening. When it's on 3, you can start to hear/feel a LITTLE air. And when you click it to 4, it's instantly full blast.

Obviously my first instinct is electrical. I had the exact same symptoms on an old 02 Dakota I used to have, and all I had to do was replace the blower motor resistor and it worked fine again. So I'm hoping that that's the problem with his explorer, and that the resistor is easy to access.

Words of wisdom before I start spending $$?

Thanks all!

 

[budwich]

word of wisdom... "search"... lots of posts on blower resistor issues.

 

[cm8809]

Well I replaced the resistor and now the fan speeds work properly. However, it's evident now that the temp control doesn't work properly. It's either really cold or really hot, seems to have trouble getting anywhere inbetween. Also, the air only seems to get cold on max AC.. on any other selection it's not cold. Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone? I'd appreciate any insight. Searched, couldn't find anything specific or helpful.

 

[budwich]

next up... blender door issues.... lots of posts.... not very "nice" though (lots of swearing under the dash)... :-(. In addition, there is a AC section in the "under the hood" that might have posts on this.

 

[drdoom]

next up... blender door issues.... maybe although I am not sure how the "EATC" system handles this versus the "manual" system... but I think its the same. IF it is, lots of posts for blender door... but also check for EATC system operation problems. In addition, there is a AC section in the "under the hood" that might have posts on this.

budwich, are you saying the blend door affects the "coolness" of the A/C?

 

[budwich]

"blend" .... means to "mix" things... in this case of "climate control" systems (ford and otherwise), cold air and hot air... and in this case, you want "zero" hot... otherwise... you are getting "some hot" and "some cold" which might feel like it is "controlling the how cold cold is"... but it isn't... and actually nothing is... only the level of freon controls that and air flow thru the condensor / evaporator exchangers.

PS. I see you got my earlier quote about EATC... I misread the original poster thinking he had an EATC system... but I don't think so... no matter, even the EATC system doesn't have a "direct" control of how "cold cold is".